Hollaback! to end street harassment

By TABITHA CLARK - Daily News Staff

Published: Wednesday, December 26, 2012 at 10:20 AM.

“It is important to tell society it’s not going to be the norm anymore,” she said. “That’s what ‘Hollaback’ is: A voice for victims, education for youth and a place for those who want to end street harassment. We need to create a culture where street harassment isn’t OK.”

A new organization in Jacksonville is encouraging men and women to “hollaback” if they are the victims of street harassment.

Hollaback, a movement to end street harassment, has chapters in 62 cities and 25 countries around the world.

“Street harassment happens everywhere,” Kari Raack, founder of Hollaback! Jacksonville said. “Hollaback! is a platform for men and women to have a way to ‘hollaback’ at the people who have committed street harassment against them.”

Hollaback! attempts to spread awareness about the problem of street harassment in the U.S. and worldwide.

“Women, youth and members of the LGBT community are often overlooked as targets of harassment,” Raack said. “We want safety, the ability to walk down our street and in our town in a safe environment.”

Raack said she heard about the movement during a training session, and then thought about it again when she was harassed while going into the grocery store.

“I was walking into the grocery store with my friends,” she said. “I was being verbally harassed for no reason. They were making comments like ‘Hey, baby, how are you doing?’ and ‘Hey, baby, I want to hold your hand too.’ I looked down at my son, who was holding my hand, and realized there was nothing I could do but keep walking into the store.”

The organization launched on Nov. 19 and currently has six stories of harassment on its website, jacksonvillenc.ihollaback.org.

The stories include those of men yelling catcalls or obscenities at women and one of a man exposing himself through the window of an area restaurant.

There is also an iPhone app for the agency.

“It’s a free app,” Raack said. “If someone is out, and they are being harassed verbally, you can tap the app, click on Jacksonville and say what and where an incident happened. It will automatically post to the website.”

She said that once it posts to the website, it also puts a red dot on the map. Those who step up and say something when someone else is being harassed can also log on and share their story. Those who step in to end street harassment are noted by a green dot.

“It helps us to visually see how much it is happening and to see that people are standing up to say it’s not OK,” she said.

Raack said they’ve received positive feedback

“A lot of people are sending emails saying they are happy to finally have a mic and a stage to take the comments, touching and groping off themselves,” she said. “They can put it back on the people that behave this way. It used to be your only option was to walk away and ignore it or say something and escalate the situation.”

“This is a safe way to get your story heard.”

Raack said that men and women who are harassed should only “hollaback” in ways they feel comfortable.

“If they feel comfortable, they should tell the person that what is being said is not OK,” she said. “If they download our app on their phone, they call tell the world about the situation then and there.”

Raack said there is also an “I’ve got your back” button on the website where people can show support to those who have been harassed.

“We’re not asking people to put themselves in any danger,” she said. “It is on their terms, however they feel comfortable saying the action is not acceptable.”

Raack said the ultimate goal of the organization is to end street harassment and restore safety for men and women all over the world. One of the ways of doing so is to bring instances of it to light.

“It is important to tell society it’s not going to be the norm anymore,” she said. “That’s what ‘Hollaback’ is: A voice for victims, education for youth and a place for those who want to end street harassment. We need to create a culture where street harassment isn’t OK.”